Load transfer device



Apnl 11, 1944. J. J. SHERMAN LOAD TRANSFER DEVICE Filed Aug. 24, 1943 W A M R E H S i H 0 M Patented Apr. 11, 1944 oan ,TRANSFER-DEYIEE John J. Sherman, -Seatt1e,-Wash. Application August ,24, 1943, Serial No. 199,786

3 Claims. (Cl. 284-1) This invention relates to improvements in load transfer device for use in handling heavy objects and more particularly useful in transferring loadssuspendedfromone weight lifting and moving mechanism to another similar mechanism.

In many industries, particularly in the shipyards, it is often necessary to not only lift and move a heavy object such as a sub-assembly structure of a ship, but to also transfer it from one lifting and moving mechanism to the other. It is an important object of my invention to provide means whereby such objects may be lifted and transferred from one to another lifting hook without the object being set down on the ground to accomplish the transfer.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a suspending yoke whereby a load may be lifted and in which an auxiliary clevis may be engaged at all times while a load is suspended by a second lifting hook, without requiring manual manipulation of the parts before or during the transfer operation.

The foregoing objects and other ancillary thereto are preferred to accomplish as follows:

According to a preferred embodiment of my invention, I provide a triangular shaped link that has suitable clevises or other similar pivoted rings in each of the corners. Specifically, the link member is formed of a sheet of steel that is perforated at the corners to receive the pivot pin of a clevis. The shape of the yoke or nnk itself is an important phase of my invention. Assuming that the triangular shape plate is disposed with an edge upward and the opposite apex portion therebelow, the clevises at the two upper corners have associated therewith on the plate, stop means which, when the clevis is disengaged from a lifting hook, will maintain one or both of the clevises outward of the plate in a position to be engaged by a hook.

The novel features I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth in particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my load transfer device,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detailed view indicating the manner in which the clevis of the I load transfer deviceis, engagedorfdisengaged by a lifting hook shown inphantom,

Figure 3 illustrates" diagrammatically the use and operation of my load transfer device.

Referring to Figure l of the drawina'the preferred embodiment of invention is constituted by a triangular shaped plate which is formed with ears I2, l4 and I6 at the corners. Each of these ears has a perforation i8 and the pivot pin 20 of the clevises 22, 24 and 26 are passed therethrough as well as through the extremities of the clevis to pivotiy connect the clevis to the plate l0.

As shown in Figure 1, the ears I2 and I4 have thereon stop members 28 and 30 respectively,

which, as shown in Figure 2, lie substantially parallel to the axis of the pins 20 and are formed of rod material that may be brazed or welded to the ear I. The stops 28 and 30 extend outward at their end suflicient to engage the arms of the U-shaped clevis to maintain it in horizontal position as shown in Figure 2.

In such an arrangement, a cargo hock 32 suspended from a suitable cable 34 can be swung under and then raised to engage the clevis.

In Figure 3 the operation of the device is illustrated diagrammatically. In this view the numerals '49 and 42 represent a whirley each of which has a boom M or 45 from which depends the lifting lines 46 and 34 at the lower end of which are the hooks 48 and 32 respectively. By means of the clevis 22 the load transfer device it is suspended from the hook 48 and by means of the clevis 2S and a bridle 59, an object O is suspended in midair. To transfer the load from the boom 44 to the boom 45, the operator of the whirley 42 swings the hook 32 under the clevis as shown in Figure 2 and lifts on his line. Previous to lifting on the hook 32, that portion of the triangular yoke 10 between clevis 22 and 26 is disposed vertically. As the lifting force is applied to the clevis 24 a pivotal action takes place at clevis 22 until the portion of the triangular link is between clevis 2d and clevis 2t assumes the vertical. At that time the clevis 22 .can be lifted off the hook 48 and the load has then been transformed from the boom 44 to boom 45.

Taking as an example the operation conducted in the modern shipyard, wherein great loads are lifted from place to place and usually disposed in a ship, the rigging and lifting of such loads is an extremely time consuming and difficult operation. Each time that the load has to be-transferred from one loading mechanism to another it is usually required that the load be set down on the ground and then rerigged for lifting by a second mechanism. To do so in midair as I teach does not only cut down on the time involved in such an operation, but it has extremely facilitated the handling of large sub-assemblies.

Under certain circumstances my load transfer device is extremely useful as a bridle wherein, from a single cargo lifting line, a pair of spaced apart depending lines may be provided. In that instance it is usual for the lifting hook 32 to be engaged'with clevis 26 and the link or'yoke I0 is inverted with the portion of the link between clevises 22 and 24 forming the base. From each a stricted exceptinsofarj as is' necessitatedlby the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims. Iclairnp 1. A load transfer device, comprising: a body member, three clevises pivotally secured to said body member, the pivot pin of each clevis being positioned in said body member to one side at a line between the other two clevises, and means to position one of said clevises in a generally horizontal position when the body 'member is suspended at another of said clevises.

2. A load transfer device, comprising: a triangular rigid body, a clevis pivoted in each corner of said body, and means to position one of said clevises in a generally horizontal position outward from saidbody when the latter is suspended at another of said clevises.

3, A load transfer device, comprising: a triangular body adapted to receive for pivotal movement a clevis pin in each corner thereof, a clevis operatively associated with each said pin, whereby said body may be supported at one said clevis so that another clevis will depend therebelow and the third clevis will be disposed to one side of the supporting line thru said clevises and said body, and means on saidbody-to support said third clevis in a generally-"horizontal position outward of said body in hook-receiving position. L

' 4 JOHN J. SHERMAN. 

